[11. Resolution: Receive a Report, Hold a Discussion and Take Action on Approving the First Amendment to the Water Supply Contract with Hamby Water Supply Corporation (Matthew Dane)]

AND COUNCILMAN REAGAN HAD QUESTIONS ON THIS. THANK YOU MAYOR.

GOOD MORNING MATTHEW. SURE. ALWAYS. MATTHEW. SO THIS IS A, YOU KNOW, A FAIRLY LARGE PROJECT.

ANYTIME WE'RE DEALING WITH WATER AND HOUSING, TWO VERY IMPORTANT ISSUES.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE STATE OF THE 2300 RV SPACE.

JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, THIS IS THE ONE OUTSIDE CITY LIMITS, NOT THE 1000 1000 SPOT FURTHER DOWN ON ELMDALE AS WELL.

AS FAR AS ITEM 11 TODAY CAN YOU GIVE US AN OVERVIEW? WHY IS THIS BEING REQUESTED AND WHY SHOULD THE CITY DO THIS? SURE. LET'S START FIRST WITH OUR WHOLESALE CONTRACTS BECAUSE THAT'S THE REASON FOR HAVING TO BRING A CHANGE.

SO KIND OF WE ARE THE REGIONAL WATER SUPPLIER FOR ALL THE WHOLESALERS AROUND US.

THIS IS YOUR POTOSI, YOUR SON HOLLY CLYDE, ALL THESE SMALL COMMUNITIES, WE HAVE WHOLESALE CONTRACTS WITH THEM.

AND THERE'S A LANGUAGE IN THOSE CONTRACTS THAT AGREE FOR US TO PROVIDE WATER FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT.

[00:30:06]

BUT THERE IS THERE ARE ASPECTS OF THOSE CONTRACTS THAT ARE MEANT TO LIMIT THE KIND OF MORE COMMERCIAL, LARGE SUBDIVISION, BIG GROWTH. THAT IS USUALLY THE TYPES OF DEVELOPMENT WE WANT TO SEE INSIDE CITY LIMITS.

ONE OF THOSE PROTECTIONS IS A CAP ON THE SIZE OF METER THAT THOSE WHOLESALERS ARE ALLOWED TO INSTALL, WHICH I BELIEVE IS AT ONE AND A HALF WOULD BE THE BIGGEST PRACTICAL.

I THINK IT CAPS IT AS LESS THAN TWO INCH METER.

AND SO THIS AMENDMENT IS BRINGING IN A ONE OFF EXCEPTION FOR HAMMARBY WATER SUPPLY TO ALLOW A THREE INCH METER.

AND THE QUESTION IS WHY, WHY ARE WE BRINGING THAT CHANGE TO THEM SPECIFICALLY? THIS IS CONNECTED TO THE ROUGHLY 2300 RV SPACE RV PARK THAT'S ON ELMDALE ROAD OUTSIDE CITY LIMITS, JUST SOUTH OF 351, KIND OF NORTHEAST SIDE. THIS IS TEMPORARY HOUSING INTENDED FOR THE WORKERS OF WHAT HAS BEEN CALLED THE SHACKLEFORD COUNTY AI CENTER.

THE VANTAGE DATA CENTER BY WHATEVER NAME IT GOES BY.

AND SO WHILE WE WOULDN'T NORMALLY MAKE AN EXCEPTION LIKE THIS, IN THIS CASE, THE OPPORTUNITY TO SET UP TEMPORARY HOUSING FOR THESE WORKERS HAS GOT THIS DIRECT CONNECTION TO THE HOUSING BURDEN THAT WE'RE OBVIOUSLY HEARING ABOUT AND EXPERIENCING IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO WHAT'S BEFORE YOU TODAY IS TO BRING AN EXCEPTION TO ALLOW A THREE INCH METER TO BE INSTALLED ON HAMBY WATER SUPPLIES SYSTEM SO THAT THEY CAN ADEQUATELY SERVE THE FULL BUILD OUT OF THAT RV PARK.

AS I UNDERSTAND IT, I THINK THE LAST UPDATE I HAD HEARD THAT THAT RV PARK IS CURRENTLY HAS AROUND 500, 5600 OR SO SPOTS FILLED. BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE EAGERLY PREPARING TO FILL THAT WHOLE PARK.

AND SO IT'S, IT'S AN OFFSETTING OF SOME OF THAT HOUSING DEMAND AS THE BASIS FOR WHY WE'RE BRINGING THAT AMENDMENT.

WAS THIS SOMETHING THAT THEY DIDN'T PLAN FOR OR WHY HALFWAY THROUGH THE PROJECT, ARE THEY GOING, OH, WE NEED A BIGGER, BIGGER SIZE? WELL, THEY'RE DEFINITELY HAS SOME BEEN SOME ASPECTS OF PROGRESSIVE DISCOVERY AT THE PACE THAT THESE DATA CENTERS MOVE AND ALL THE PARTIES INVOLVED. THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION EARLIER THIS, THIS RV PARK ACTUALLY HAPPENS TO BE ON THE VERY EDGE OF THEIR CCN, WHICH IS THEIR BOUNDARY WHERE HAMBY IS ALLOWED TO SERVE.

IT'S NEXT TO ABILENE. SO THERE'S, THERE'S BEEN QUITE A FEW DISCUSSIONS OF KIND OF MOVING THROUGH THE MOTIONS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO SERVE IT, WHO'S GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE? AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THEY DO HAVE A METER AT THE RV SITE NOW THAT FOLLOWS THE EXISTING RULES OF THE CONTRACT.

BUT NOW THEY'RE AT A POINT WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE UPSIZED SO THAT THEY CAN DO THEIR FULL BUILD OUT.

SO IF WE DON'T APPROVE. TODAY, THEY'RE LIMITED TO WHATEVER THEIR CURRENT CAPACITY IS OF, LET'S SAY, 600.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT 600 MATCHES WHAT THEIR CURRENT METER, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW CLOSE THOSE ARE TO EACH OTHER.

IT'S IN THE BALLPARK. THERE MAY BE SOME MORE ROOM THERE, BUT THEY COULD THEY CERTAINLY COULDN'T DO THEIR FULL BUILD OUT. IF WE DON'T APPROVE ALLOWING A THREE INCH METER, THEY JUST WOULDN'T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO SERVE.

AND THEN FISCAL IMPACT BOTH ON THE INSTALL AND ON RATES.

ONCE IT'S AT A, LET'S SAY A THREE INCH WHAT'S THE FISCAL IMPACT? I KNOW IN THE RESOLUTION, IT SAYS NO FISCAL IMPACT, BUT I WANT TO, I JUST WANT TO ADDRESS ON INSTALLATION AND THEN ON ANY RATE IMPACT.

YEAH, THOSE ARE GOOD QUESTIONS IN TERMS OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE BEING INSTALLED TO SERVE THEM.

THAT'S ALL BEING FUNDED BY THE DATA CENTER GROUP THEMSELVES.

SO THAT THAT DOESN'T HAVE ANY IMPACT. THERE WILL BE ADDITIONAL WHOLESALE USAGE.

SO THE WATER WE'RE SELLING TO HAMBY THAT HAMBY IS SELLING TO THE RV PARK, BUT THAT RUNS THROUGH OUR WHOLESALE RATE.

THAT'S AROUND, I THINK, ABOUT $9 A THOUSAND RIGHT NOW.

SO AND THEN IT'S REALLY IN TERMS OF METER SIZE AND EXACT BILLING, THAT'S HAMBY WATER SUPPLY.

WHO'S BILLING THEM DIRECTLY. IT'S, IT'S THEIR, THEIR CUSTOMER.

SO WHATEVER THEIR RATE STRUCTURE IS OR WHATEVER THEY WORK OUT WITH THE RV PARK, THEY'LL FILL THAT OUT.

AND THEN WE SELL IT TO HAMBY AS, AS WHOLESALE.

SO THAT THREE INCH METER IS ACTUALLY ON HAMBY'S SYSTEM.

IT'S NOT A CITY OF ABILENE METER. OKAY. AND THEN LAST QUESTION, JUST FOR THE BENEFIT OF TRAVIS IF YOU'RE SAYING THEY'RE CAPPED AT, THEY'RE AT 1.5IN AND THEY'RE CAPPED OUT AT 600, LET'S SAY ROUGHLY 600 PEOPLE.

AND THEIR GOAL IS TO GET TO AROUND 2300. SO ROUGHLY AROUND FOUR THEY NEED TO FOUR TIMES IT ARE THEY IS THE EXPECTATION THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE USING FOUR TIMES THE AMOUNT OF WATER THAT WE HAD INITIALLY PLANNED FOR THAT PROJECT OR THROUGH HAMBY.

AND HOW DOES THAT AFFECT OUR, OUR WATER SITUATION.

I DON'T HAVE DIRECT ACCESS TO THEIR ACTUAL USAGE, GIVEN THAT THEY'RE NOT A DIRECT CUSTOMER OF OURS.

[00:35:01]

BUT IN TERMS OF PLANNING, WHAT WE'VE ALWAYS KIND OF USED AS PLANNING NUMBERS, OUR HAVE CONSERVATISM BUILT IN THAT THEY EXCEED KIND OF WHAT WE ACTUALLY EXPERIENCE.

SO SO THE PARTS OF YOUR QUESTION THERE. YEAH, I WOULD EXPECT FOUR, FOUR TIMES INCREASE ROUGHLY FROM WHAT THEY'RE CURRENTLY USING.

AND THAT ULTIMATE AMOUNT IS PROBABLY LESS THAN THE PLANNING AMOUNT THAT WE'RE COUNTING ON.

I WILL SAY IT'S A BIG ENOUGH DEMAND THAT WE'VE STARTED A CONVERSATION WITH HAMBY ABOUT THEIR ANNUAL CONTRACT LIMITATIONS.

AND SO WE'LL GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND BRING IT TO COUNCIL WHEN WE GET TO THAT POINT AND YEAH, BUT NO CONCERNS AS FAR AS THEIR WATER. ALRIGHT.

YEAH. THE LAST PART OF THE QUESTION NO CONCERNS YET AS A, AS A PERCENTAGE OF OUR WHOLE SYSTEM, WE'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT MUCH LESS THAN 1% OF OF TOTAL SYSTEM DEMAND.

AND SO WE'RE IN GOOD SHAPE IN TERMS OF WATER SUPPLIES AND ABILITY TO SERVE THAT FACILITY.

THANK YOU. I'D JUST LIKE TO APPLAUD YOU FOR SAYING PROGRESSIVE DISCOVERY.

IT'S A GREAT PHRASE. OH YOU'RE WELCOME. SO THE CURRENT CONTRACT AMOUNT IS INSUFFICIENT IF THEY DO THEIR WHOLE BUILDOUT, THE HAMBY CONTRACT AS A AS A WHOLESALE PURCHASER.

IF YOU USE PLANNING NUMBERS TO SIZE THE FULL BUILDOUT OF 2300 SPACES, I WOULD ANTICIPATE THEM EXCEEDING THEIR CURRENT ANNUAL LIMIT.

AND THEY'VE ACTUALLY THEY WERE THE FIRST TO REACH OUT TO US AND SAY, HEY, THIS IS TRENDING UP.

AND WE HAD SEEN THAT IN THE DATA. AND SO SO WE'LL START THAT CONVERSATION WITH THEM.

WELL, THIS IS ALSO ANOTHER SITUATION. WE TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT OF OUR RENTAL HOUSING IN TOWN RIGHT NOW.

AND THIS TAKES SOME OF THAT PRESSURE OFF OF THE CITY OF ABILENE ITSELF.

SO I THINK IT DOES HELP WITH THAT. IT'S A VERY TEMPORARY THING.

WE KNOW THAT. BUT TEMPORARY IS TWO YEARS. FIVE YEARS.

WE DON'T KNOW. BUT IT DOES HELP RELIEVE SOME OF THAT STRESS THAT WE'RE UNDER RIGHT NOW ON OUR RENTALS.

YES, SIR. THAT'S THE HOPE. AND THIS ISN'T THE FINAL ACTION, BECAUSE IT'S ALSO A REQUIREMENT THAT WE GET APPROVAL FROM THE RETAIL OR RURAL UTILITY SERVICE WITH USDA. YES, SIR. YEAH. WE'VE BEEN HAVE THEY OR HAVE YOU ALREADY STARTED THAT PROCESS? WE HAVE WE'VE INITIATED REACHING OUT TO USDA.

THAT'S AN INTERESTING PART OF THE CONTRACT BECAUSE THAT IS TYPICALLY DRIVEN BY WHEN THESE WHOLESALERS TAKE ON USDA DEBT.

THAT THAT'S REALLY WHAT TRIGGERS THAT REQUIREMENT.

BUT WE'VE CARRIED THAT IN OUR CONTRACT AS SPECIFIC LANGUAGE.

AND SO WE'RE HAVING TO COORDINATE KIND OF THROUGH, THAT'S REALLY A HEAVY RESPONSIBILITY, BUT WE'RE HELPING TO KIND OF COORDINATE THAT PROCESS. AND, AND SO THIS APPROVAL IS, IS, HAS GOT THAT CONTINGENCY BUILT INTO IT THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET USDA TO SIGN OFF ON THIS AGREEMENT.

ANY IDEA HOW LONG THAT WILL TAKE? I DON'T KNOW, BECAUSE WE AS AN ENTITY HAVE NOT HAD TO INTERACT WITH USDA.

THE FIRST STEP, AND BECAUSE HAMBY ACTUALLY CURRENTLY DOESN'T HAVE ANY FINANCING OR ANYTHING WITH USDA, THEY'RE ALSO TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHO THE RIGHT CONTACT IS TO FACILITATE THE PROCESS.

SO WE HAVE MADE CONTACT AND WE'LL SEE HOW QUICKLY THAT PROCESS MOVES.

THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? I DO HAVE ONE FOLLOW UP.

ARE WE SEEING THIS WITH OTHER RV PARKS AS WELL? I MEAN, THIS IS THIS IS NOT A COMPANY COMING TO US AND SAYING, HEY, OUR, OUR WATER USE HAS INCREASED BY 20 OR 30%.

THIS IS A FOUR TIMES USAGE JUMP. ARE WE? AND YOU KNOW, WITH OUR PIPELINE OF, OF RV PARK KIND OF APPLICANTS, AND THEN WE, YOU KNOW, IN CITY LIMITS, WE'VE GOT THE THOUSAND THOUSAND SPOT ONE.

IS THAT SOMETHING WHERE BASED ON THIS REQUEST, WE NEED TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THESE ONES THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN APPROVED, BUT ALSO IN THE PIPELINE, I GO, OH, THESE, ALL THESE RV PARKS MAY BE USED IN DOUBLE, TRIPLE, QUADRUPLE THE AMOUNT ACTUALLY INITIALLY REQUESTED.

WE'RE WATCHING, YOU KNOW, ONE BENEFIT IS SO MUCH OF TYPICAL USAGE IS IRRIGATION, YOU KNOW, OR WATERING THE YARD. AND THESE RV PARKS TEND TO NOT HAVE THAT.

AND SO A PER PERSON IN AN RV PARK IS, IS LESS USAGE THAN WHAT YOU'D EXPECT FROM, SAY, A HOUSE OR WHATEVER ELSE.

WE WERE WATCHING THE BIG RV PARKS. THIS ONE'S KIND OF A UNIQUE ONE.

THOSE CAN BE ENOUGH THAT YOU WANT TO KIND OF PAY ATTENTION TO INCREASE USAGE.

A LOT OF THE OTHER ONES TEND TO NOT REALLY EVEN BE DETECTABLE IN TERMS OF THEIR IMPACT TO THE SYSTEM AND ALL THE REST.

SO WE'RE MONITORING, WE'RE COORDINATING WITH OUR WHOLESALE.

WE HAD A REGIONAL MEETING WITH THE WHOLESALERS IN JANUARY, WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT THE METER SIZE LIMITATIONS AND TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE NEW DATA CENTER DEMANDS AND THINGS. SO WE'RE WE'RE MONITORING THE SITUATION AND COORDINATING WITH THE WHOLESALERS JUST TO TRY TO STAY ON TOP OF IT.

THANK YOU. WHEN YOU SAY MONITORING, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? LIKE IS THAT ENTAIL? EXACTLY. SO HERE RECENTLY, WHAT THAT HAS MEANT REALLY IS JUST WATCHING USAGE, PARTICULARLY THESE KIND OF HOTSPOTS OF EITHER THE RV PARKS OR THE WHOLESALERS THAT MAY BE PROVIDING SOME WATER TO CONSTRUCTION SITES.

[00:40:07]

WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT, WE RECENTLY HAVE HAD AN INCREASED DEMAND IN CONSTRUCTION METERS.

AND SO IT'S, THAT'S ACTUALLY PROBABLY A GOOD PLUG TO KIND OF PUT OUT.

WE HAVE HAD SOME CITIZENS REACH OUT TO THE WATER DEPARTMENT ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT TRUCKS HOOKING UP TO HYDRANTS.

AND USUALLY THE KEY WAY TO BE ABLE TO TELL IS YOU SEE A HYDRANT AND THEN THEY'RE FREQUENTLY BLUE, BUT NOT ALWAYS, BUT YOU'LL SEE THIS BIG KIND OF METAL ATTACHMENT HANGING OFF THE SIDE OF THE HYDRANT.

AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT THE TRUCKS ARE HANGING ON, HOOKING ON TO.

WELL, THAT IS A CONSTRUCTION METER THAT ATTACHES TO A HYDRANT TO FACILITATE THAT.

AND SO SO THOSE ARE A FEW OF THE SPECIFIC KIND OF ACCOUNTS AND USAGES THAT WE'RE WATCHING AND JUST SEEING, YOU KNOW, WHAT INDIVIDUALLY ARE THOSE DOING? AND THEN TO WHAT EXTENT WE CAN ACTUALLY SEE THE WHOLE SYSTEM DEMAND BEING IMPACTED BY THAT.

I'M CURIOUS, SINCE THERE IS A DIFFERENT OF WATER USAGE, IS THERE A LEAK DETECTION INVOLVED IN THE MONITORING OF THE WATER USAGE? THAT WOULD BE OUR RESPONSIBILITY. IS THAT SOMETHING WE COULD ASK? NO, NO, WE WE ANYTHING THAT'S ON OUR ARMY SYSTEM HAS GOT BUILT IN LEAK DETECTION CAPABILITY.

OKAY. AND WE'RE WORKING ON TRANSITIONING OUR CONSTRUCTION METERS TO THOSE TO CREATE KIND OF A PORTABLE ARMY SYSTEM BECAUSE OF THINGS LIKE THAT.

THE KEY THING THAT IT'S LOOKING FOR IS WHAT WE WOULD CALL CONTINUOUS CONSUMPTION.

SO IF THAT CONSUMPTION, THAT HOURLY CONSUMPTION FROM AN ARMY METER NEVER GOES TO ZERO, THEN THAT THAT SHOULD BE FLAGGED AS SOMETHING THAT WE GO AND LOOK AT AND WE ENCOURAGE CITIZENS OR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, CONTRACTORS, WHATEVER METER THEY'RE USING TO TRY TO SET UP THOSE ALERTS ON THEIR ACCOUNT SO THEY CAN BE THE FIRST ONES TO BE NOTIFIED. SIMILAR TO A HOME? YES. YES, SIR. ANYONE ELSE? THANK YOU. MATTHEW.

THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.

IS THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK EITHER FOR OR AGAINST ITEM 11? PLEASE COME FORWARD AND GIVE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD. TAMY FOGEL, RESIDENT OF ABILENE.

I JUST BRIEFLY WANT TO MENTION THAT I THINK THESE AGENDA MEMOS ARE VERY HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND THE LONGEVITY OF THIS PROJECT.

LIKE IT SAYS UP HERE, THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT WAS EXECUTED IN NOVEMBER OF 2021, AND I WAS JUST TRYING TO SEE PRICE POINT AND I ONLY FOUND.

650. SO THANK YOU FOR UPDATING THE THE PER THOUSAND.

I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO CALL IT, THE $9 PER THOUSAND OR WHATEVER.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. AND, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THINGS THAT IT'S LIKE, Y'ALL ARE THIS. THE CITY OPERATES 24 OVER SEVEN.

I MEAN, THERE'S NOT A PART OF THE CITY THAT EVER REALLY GOES TO SLEEP. AND SO THERE'S A CONSTANT CONVERSATION GOING ON AND CITIZENS COME IN AND THEY COME OUT AND WHEN THEY COME IN, THEY FEEL LIKE IT CAN COME ACROSS THAT THEY'RE PART OF A CONVERSATION THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO KNOW, AND THEN THEY GO OUT CONFUSED AND DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.

AND SO PART OF WHAT WE HAVE HERE AT CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS AND WITH ITEMS LIKE THIS IS, YOU KNOW, I WAS ONE OF THE PEOPLE. I MEAN, I WENT AND LOOKED BACK UP THE CONTRACT IN 2021 AND I FOUND THE RESOLUTION.

WELL, IT MENTIONED 1979. AND THERE'S LOTS OF INFORMATION THAT I THINK THAT COULD BE INCLUDED TO HELP MAKE IT WHERE WE UNDERSTAND THE CONVERSATION AND KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AND ITEMS LIKE THIS, BECAUSE WATER IS A BIG CONCERN FOR MANY PEOPLE AND MYSELF INCLUDED, THAT WHILE I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A A TEMPORARY FIX AND IT'S NOT LONG TERM, IT HAS A TERMINATION. ONCE THIS RV PARK IS DONE WITH, THIS THREE INCH PIPE IS NO LONGER ALLOWED TO BE USED.

AND THAT'S A GOOD THING. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH WATER TO COVER THE THINGS IN THE CITY AS WELL. AND SO I KNOW IT'S A WHOLESALER AND WE WANT TO DEAL WITH THAT, BUT ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE WE'RE THINKING AHEAD IN THE FUTURE TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH WATER AND ALWAYS APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION MATT GIVES, BUT JUST WOULD BE HELPFUL IF WE COULD INCLUDE MORE INFORMATION SO THAT WE CAN KNOW MORE OF THE CONVERSATION, RATHER THAN HAVING TO GO AND DO ALL THE HEAVY LIFTING OURSELVES. BECAUSE ENGAGING IS KIND OF INTIMIDATING, AND I WANT TO ENCOURAGE MORE OF THAT. AND I THINK IT HELPS ALLEVIATE SOME OF Y'ALL'S FRUSTRATION AND, AND HAVING TO ANSWER QUESTIONS WHEN WE COMMUNICATE BETTER.

SO THANK YOU. STILL IN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM 11.

HOW Y'ALL DOING AGAIN? I NEED TO REINTRODUCE MYSELF.

RILEY RODRIGUEZ. I LIVE ON OVERSTREET. ONE OF THE THINGS I DIDN'T GET HERE ASKED ABOUT IS TAMMY BROUGHT IT UP A LITTLE BIT IS WHAT'S THE IMPACT ON OUR SUPPLY GOING TO BE? A LOT OF THESE PLACES ARE SUPPOSED TO BE HERE.

SOME SOME ESTIMATES ARE LIKE 14 YEARS, DEPENDING ON WHICH ONES THEY ARE.

AND THEY'RE ONLY GETTING BIGGER, RIGHT? OURS IS NOW THE NOT EVEN THE BIGGEST ONE IN TEXAS.

AMARILLO WAS ABOUT TO GET ONE THAT DWARFS THIS ONE, AND WE'RE PUTTING.

THE ESTIMATES ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE, BUT SEVERAL.

SO WHILE I UNDERSTAND THAT HAMBY NEEDS A LITTLE BIT OF HELP WITH THEIR WATER, WHAT ARE THE DOWNSTREAM EFFECTS ON THE CONSUMER. BECAUSE WE'RE ALREADY SEEING EFFECTS ON ENERGY.

MANY PLACES ARE STARTING TO SEE THEIR EFFECTS ON WATER.

EVERYBODY'S AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN CORPUS CHRISTI. WHERE WHERE DOES THAT PUT US IN FOUR YEARS?

[00:45:05]

IT'S ALL WELL AND GOOD THAT THEY'VE GOT 2400 RVS THAT ARE GOING TO LEAVE, AND THOSE WORKERS ARE GOING TO LEAVE, AND THAT REVENUE IS GOING TO LEAVE THEIR COUNTY. BUT AT THE END OF THAT 4 OR 5, SIX, TEN, 14 YEARS, WHERE'S OUR WATER SUPPLY AT? ARE WE BUYING WATER NOW FROM FROM EAST TEXAS? ARE WE BUYING WATER NOW FROM I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF WE'D BE ABLE TO BUY WATER FROM CORPUS CHRISTI.

ARE WE PURCHASING, PURCHASING TO HAVE WATER SHIPPED IN FROM POSSUM KINGDOM? RIGHT. LIKE THIS DOESN'T SEEM TO AT THE END OF THE DAY, LIKE THAT DOESN'T SEEM TO PUT US IN A BETTER POSITION IF WE'RE ALSO DEALING WITH WATER.

I LIVED OUT EITHER SIDE OVER BY HAMMARBY. I WENT TO SCHOOL IN HAMBURG.

YOU CAN'T YOU CAN'T DRILL A WATER WELL OUT THERE.

IT'S NOTHING BUT ROCK. THE RANCH I GREW UP ON.

NOTHING BUT ROCK, SO I REALLY. YOU KNOW, WHILE I FEEL FOR THE PEOPLE IN HAMBURG THAT WANT TO BRING SOME REVENUE IN, THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME REAL DOWNSTREAM EFFECTS THAT I HOPE THAT EVERYBODY CONSIDERS ON THIS BECAUSE SUPPLY IS REAL.

WE CAN'T DRINK REVENUE. WE CAN'T WATER FARMS WITH DOLLAR BILLS.

SO I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT UP BECAUSE I DIDN'T HEAR THAT ASKED ABOUT APPRECIATE IT. STILL IN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM 11, WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK? SEEING NO ONE, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? IF NOT, I'LL ACCEPT A MOTION IN A SECOND.

SO MOVED. I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN REAGAN.

SECOND. THEN. GOT IT. COUNCILMAN BEARD. YES. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN BEARD.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? WE'RE READY TO VOTE. ALL YESES.

MOTION CARRIES. WE'LL NOW MOVE TO ITEM 13. AND I THINK MICHAEL RICE IS GOING TO PRESENT THIS ITEM INSTEAD OF KIM.

[13. Resolution: Receive a Report, Hold a Discussion and Take Action on Approving an Updated Project Plan, Updated Facade and Demolition Grants and Sidewalk Grant for Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) #2 District (Tim Littlejohn)]

YES, MAYOR. TIM LITTLEJOHN'S ACTUALLY ON VACATION, EVEN THOUGH HIS NAME IS ON THIS AGENDA ITEM.

I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS. I KNOW YOU'VE SEEN THE PACKET.

WHAT CAN I ANSWER FOR YOU, SIR? THANK YOU. MICHAEL.

FIRST, JUST YOU KNOW, EVEN TODAY, WE'VE HAD 1 OR 2 COMMENTS ON ON TOURS.

I KNOW JUST IN THE GENERAL PUBLIC TOURS IS A VERY OFTEN DIFFICULT LET ME SAY CONCEPT, BUT A, BUT A TAX CONCEPT. CAN YOU JUST IN ONE, TWO, THREE SENTENCES, IF THAT'S POSSIBLE, CAN YOU JUST KIND OF GIVE US AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT THE TOURS IS? SO THE TOURS IS SHORT FOR TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE.

THERE IS A STUDY THAT IS MADE TO IDENTIFY AREAS THAT ARE NEEDING ASSISTANCE.

BLIGHT A WIDE VARIETY OF OTHER IDEAS THAT ARE ACTUALLY IDENTIFIED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS.

THROUGH THAT, THEY CREATE A BOUNDARY. AND THEN THEY ALSO DO ASSUMPTIONS ON HOW MUCH MONEY WILL BE CREATED.

AND THIS TAX INCREMENT, THEY BASICALLY SET A BASELINE.

HERE'S THE VALUE OF A CERTAIN PIECE OF PROPERTY OVER TIME.

AS THAT VALUE GOES UP, THAT INCREMENT THEN IS PLACED IN A FUND.

AND THEN THOSE DOLLARS ARE THE FUNDS THAT ARE ABLE TO BE SPENT, BUT ONLY WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE TOURS ITSELF.

IT CANNOT BE USED TYPICALLY FOR PERSONNEL VEHICLES.

IT IS NOT THAT TYPE OF THINGS IN THE PACKAGE.

YOU WILL NOTICE. WE HAVE A PROJECT PLAN NOW. THESE ARE NOT PROJECTS, BUT THESE ARE CATEGORIES UPON WHICH THE DOLLARS COULD BE SPENT.

AND SO WHAT HAPPENS IS WE HAD ORIGINALLY PUT UP, I THINK ABOUT $19.7 MILLION.

THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATE BASED UPON THE FINANCIAL ANALYSIS.

TODAY WE HAVE A NEW FINANCIAL ANALYSIS BASED UPON THE CHANGES THAT HAVE HAPPENED SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE TOURS, WHICH SHOWS THAT WE'LL HAVE AN ADDITIONAL ROUGHLY $10 MILLION UPON WHICH TO SPEND.

SO ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT IS BEFORE YOU TODAY IS TO COME UP WITH A NEW PROJECT PLAN TO ALLOCATE THAT $10 MILLION TO THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.

THAT THEN ALLOWS THOSE PROJECTS TO COME BEFORE THE TOURIST BOARD.

THEY REVIEW IT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS IN CONFORMANCE WITH THE PLAN, AND ALSO STAFF SUPPORTS THEM AND ANSWERS ALL OF THEIR QUESTIONS.

THEN THEY MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THIS BODY, AND THEN THEY'RE THE FINAL DECIDING VOTE ON WHETHER OR NOT THOSE PROJECTS MOVE FORWARD.

THE ADDITIONAL 10 MILLION THAT WE HAVE TO WORK WITH IS BASED ON THE INCREASE IN VALUATION, BASED ON THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, IS THAT IT IS ALL THE IMPROVEMENTS WITHIN THAT BOUNDARY.

SOME OF THOSE, OBVIOUSLY ARE ONES THAT WERE FUNDED BY THE TOURS ITSELF.

BUT YES, SIR, IT IS ALL THE IMPROVEMENTS AND THAT WILL GO THROUGH THE END OF THAT DATE OF THAT TOURS.

IT HAS AN END DATE. SO AS THINGS GET BETTER, YOU'RE YOU'RE ABLE TO FUND MORE TO MAKE IT EVEN BETTER.

THAT'S OUR HOPE, SIR. AND SO ON. THIS PROPOSAL, I THINK THE MAIN THE MAIN POINTS ARE INCREASING THE FACADE IMPROVEMENT GRANT UP TO MATCHING OF 50,000 AND THE DEMOLITION GRANTS UP TO 15,000.

IS THAT RIGHT? YES. SO IN THE PAST WE HAVE HAD BEFORE THIS COUNCIL THE THE PROGRAMS TO DO EXACTLY THAT, TO DO FACADE IMPROVEMENTS AND ALSO TO DO DEMOLITION.

WE'RE ALSO ASKING FOR A SIDEWALK GRANT AS WELL.

AND SO THOSE ARE THE THREE PROGRAMS THAT ARE BASICALLY BEING CONSIDERED.

AND THIS IS NOT TO SPEND ALL THE MONEY, BUT BASICALLY TO GIVE STAFF THE ABILITY TO RECEIVE APPLICATIONS FROM PEOPLE WITHIN THE BOUNDARY.

[00:50:04]

MAKE SURE THAT THEY QUALIFY. AND THESE ARE ACTUALLY REIMBURSEMENTS.

THEY ARE NOT FUNDED IN ADVANCE. WHEN PEOPLE GO AND DO THE PROJECTS, THEY PROVIDE US WITH DOCUMENTATION, AND BASED UPON THAT, USUALLY IT'S A 50% MATCH.

SO IF THEY GET A $10,000 GRANT, FOR EXAMPLE, BUT THEY ONLY SPEND EIGHT, THEY ONLY GET HALF OF THE AID.

THEY DON'T GET HALF OF THE TEN. AND THIS I GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT JUST IN GENERAL, NOT NECESSARILY ABOUT THE TOURS.

SIDEWALKS IN DOWNTOWN. FOR THOSE BUSINESS OWNERS LISTENING, WHO OWNS THEM? WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR KEEPING THEM STRAIGHT AND WELL PAVED? AND IS IT THE BUSINESS OWNER THEMSELVES THAT NEED TO APPLY FOR THIS, FOR THIS GRANT? SO THROUGHOUT ALL OF THE CITY OF ABILENE, NOT JUST ONLY WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES.

SIDEWALKS ARE ACTUALLY THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNER.

I WOULD ALSO ADD, SO IS THE CURB AND GUTTER. NOW THAT IS A UNIQUE POLICY THAT ABILENE HAS.

NOT ALL CITIES HAVE THAT. SO REALLY WHAT HAPPENS IS AS THOSE SIDEWALKS ARE DETERIORATED, AS THEY GET TO THE END OF LIFE, IT FALLS UPON THE PROPERTY OWNER TO GO AHEAD AND TO REPLACE THOSE.

NOW WE HAVE, AS YOU ARE AWARE, OTHER PROJECTS WHERE WE TRY TO DO SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS DOWN OUR MAJOR ARTERIALS.

OFTEN WE'RE LOOKING FOR TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FUNDS TO HELP SUPPORT AND TO FUND THOSE PROJECTS.

THERE ARE AREAS WHERE PEOPLE ARE WALKING IN THE DIRT, AND WE'D LIKE TO GET THEM OUT OF THE DIRT INTO SOME TYPE OF IMPROVED SURFACE. THIS SIDEWALK GRANT, THOUGH, IS ONCE AGAIN, WE HAVE SOME AREAS IN DOWNTOWN AND OTHER AREAS WHERE THE SIDEWALK IS IN DISREPAIR.

AND IT ALLOWS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT IF SOMEBODY DOES WANT TO COME IN AND TO IMPROVE THEIR SIDEWALK, THAT GIVES THEM THAT OPPORTUNITY TO HELP FUND THAT SIDEWALK IS NOT CHEAP.

AND SO THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT AMONG THE BOARD THEMSELVES.

SO IN RESPONSE TO THEIR COMMENTS AND TO THEIR REQUESTS, WE HAVE BROUGHT THIS FORWARD FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.

AND THEN WE'RE NOT STARTING A NEW PROGRAM. THESE PROGRAMS ALREADY EXIST.

WE'RE REALLY JUST INCREASING THE AMOUNTS AND SO ON THE SIDEWALK, WE'RE BEING ASKED TO PUSH IT UP TO, I THINK, 50,000. WHAT'S IT CURRENTLY AT? DO YOU KNOW, OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD? I DO 5 OR 10,000. THAT'D BE A TEN. LITTLEJOHN QUESTION.

I JUST KNOW THAT THIS IS JUST THE PROJECT, THE EXISTING ALLOCATION THAT HAD BEEN APPROVED.

WE'VE GOTTEN TO THE END OF THAT AND THOSE HAVE EXPIRED. SO THIS ALLOWS US TO PICK THOSE BACK UP AND CONTINUE THOSE PROGRAMS. OKAY. I WANT TO SAY IT'S 5 OR 10,000. AND THEN DO YOU KNOW, OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD, THE DEMOLITION ONE, I KNOW WE'RE 15,000 BEING INCREASED HERE. THAT PROGRAM I'M NOT AS FAMILIAR WITH, I ASSUME WE, WE ALREADY HAVE IT AND WE'RE JUST INCREASING THE AMOUNTS UP TO 15.

THE, THE FACADE WENT FROM 15 TO 25 ACCORDING TO THE SLIDES UP HERE.

AND THEN THE DEMOLITION PREVIOUSLY WAS 25,000 PER PROJECT.

AND SO WE'RE LOOKING TO ONCE AGAIN PROVIDE THAT.

OKAY. OKAY. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? CAN YOU GO BACK ONE SLIDE? YES, SIR, I CAN, I THINK.

OKAY. FOR THE BUILDING FACADE IMPROVEMENTS, IT SAYS THE CURRENT IS 500,000 AND THE PROPOSED IS 2 MILLION.

BUT ON THE SLIDE AT THE END, IT SAYS THAT THE PROGRAM FUNDS FOR THE FACADE IS A TOTAL OF 800,000 OVER FIVE YEARS.

AND I HAD ASKED THE QUESTION, BUT I DON'T I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENCE.

WHY IT'S 800,000 OVER FIVE YEARS ON ONE SIDE AND IT'S 2 MILLION ON THIS SIDE.

IT'S A GREAT QUESTION, SHANE. THE $2 MILLION IS FOR THE ENTIRE LIFE OF THE TOURS, WHICH GOES THROUGH THE VERY, VERY END. THE 800,000 IS BASICALLY FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEAR PERIOD.

THANK YOU. YES, SIR. FURTHER QUESTIONS? MICHAEL.

THANK YOU. MICHAEL. THANK YOU SIR. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.

IS THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK EITHER FOR OR AGAINST ITEM 13? PLEASE COME FORWARD AND GIVE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD. RILEY RODRIGUEZ I LIVE ON OVER STREET.

I KIND OF JUST REALLY MORE HAD A QUESTION FOR PEOPLE THAT MIGHT BE WATCHING AND NOT NOT SURE WHERE THIS IS, WHERE THIS IS GOING TO BE AT. AND MAYBE Y'ALL CAN CAN KIND OF ANSWER IT DOESN'T SAY, WHERE EXACTLY WILL THIS SIDEWALK INVESTMENT BE PUT IN OUR TOWN? LIKE, WHAT IS THIS? WHAT IS THE ZONE? CAN YOU TELL ME THAT? LIKE WHAT PART OF OUR TEAM. YOU SAID DOWNTOWN.

SO LIKE RIGHT DOWN THERE. RIGHT. BUT IT'S GENERALLY THE DOWNTOWN AREA.

OKAY. MY QUESTION IS, CAN WE CAN WE USE THIS FOR A PLACE FOR PLACES THAT LIKE ON WILLIS OR OVER WHERE I LIVE? I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A GENERAL QUESTION.

AND CAN THIS MONEY NOT BE USED FOR SIDEWALKS THAT ARE LIKE IN DIRE DISREPAIR OR PLACES WE DON'T HAVE SIDEWALKS? THE WAY IT'S SET UP, IT HAS TO BE HAS TO BE USED DOWNTOWN.

OKAY. YEAH. GOOD, GOOD. OKAY. I JUST WANTED TO ASK CLARIFYING QUESTIONS, PROGRAMS THAT CAN ADDRESS THOSE OTHER AREAS.

OKAY. THIS ONE IS ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR TAX ZONE AND AND THE AUTHORIZATION WITHIN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.

[00:55:03]

AND IF SO APPROVED, WOULD THAT TAKE FUNDING AWAY FROM THOSE OTHER AREAS THAT WE COULD PUT THAT FUNDING? NO. WOULDN'T OKAY. FUNDING THAT'S LIMITED IN USE.

IT HAS TO BE USED. HAS TO BE USED SPECIFIC THINGS WITHIN THE BOUNDARY, AND IT CAN'T BE USED ANYWHERE ELSE INSIDE THE BOUNDARY.

AND IT'S USED INSIDE. OKAY, GOOD. OKAY. THANK YOU.

I JUST WANTED TO GET IT CLARIFIED. SOME CLARIFYING ANSWERS. THANK YOU. STILL IN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM 13.

TAMMY VOGEL, RESIDENT OF ABILENE. JUST ONE QUESTION OF CLARIFICATION. SO ONCE THE TERM IS ESTABLISHED, THEN THAT FUNDING IS ONLY ALLOWED WITHIN THAT ALLOTMENT.

CORRECT. BUT PRIOR TO THIS TERM BEING SET UP, THAT FUNDING COULD BE USED IN OTHER PLACES.

IT'S ONLY BECAUSE THE TERM HAS BEEN SET UP CORRECT.

SO ONCE. SO THE TERM MONEY ONLY COMES BECAUSE THE TERM IS SET UP SO THAT REVENUE IS NOT THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S I MEAN, THE REVENUE IS HAPPENING REGARDLESS.

IT'S COMING IN REGARDLESS. CORRECT. THAT'S MAY OR MAY NOT BE TRUE IN A LOT OF CASES.

IF YOU'RE SETTING UP A TAX INCENTIVE ZONE, IT IS BECAUSE THAT AREA NEEDS SOME, SOME INCENTIVE, SOME HELP. AND SO YOU'RE WORKING WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING THE IMPROVEMENTS TO PROVIDE AN INCENTIVE BASED ON THE INCREASED VALUE USING.

IF YOU DON'T SET UP THE TOURS, THEY DON'T HAVE THE INCENTIVE TO DO IT.

IT DOESN'T GET FIXED. RIGHT? BUT THE FUNDING THAT WE'RE USING TO OFFER INCENTIVE IS ONLY ALLOCATED BECAUSE OF THE TOURS.

BUT WE'RE GETTING THAT FUNDING REGARDLESS OF THE TOURS.

IT'S JUST SO IT'S LIKE THE HOT TAX. WE ONLY GET IT WHEN THE TAXES ARE SPENT ON THE HOTEL.

SO THE MONEY IS NONEXISTENT IF THE TOURS WASN'T THERE.

NOT I'M TALKING ABOUT THE INCENTIVE. I'M TALKING ABOUT THE REVENUE BECAUSE WE'RE TAKING PROPERTY TAXES. OR WE'RE USING THE TAX.

I'M JUST IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A SPECIFIC TOURS AND A SPECIFIC TOURS TO LIKE, LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS ONE.

BUT THE INCENTIVE TO DO IT HAS TO DO WITH THE PARTNERSHIP AND THE TOURS THAT CAP IS SET AND THE IF YOU DON'T OFFER THAT INCENTIVE, IT MIGHT HAPPEN, RIGHT? BUT THE FACT THAT IT HASN'T HAPPENED IN THE THE PLACES IN THE STATE THAT IT'S IN IS AN INDICATOR THAT IT MIGHT NOT.

OKAY. AND SO YOU IT'S A TOOL THAT THE STATE HAS GIVEN TO THE CITY TO PROVIDE INCENTIVE TO DO THIS.

AND THEN IT PAYS. THE INCENTIVE IS COMING FROM THE REVENUES RAISED WITHIN THAT ZONE.

SO THE REVENUES ARE COMING FROM THE TAXES LIKE THE HOT TAX.

OKAY. THAT'S THAT'S THE CLARIFICATION I NEEDED BECAUSE YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE GETTING REVENUE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE. SO WE'RE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF A PROGRAM THAT IS NOT COMING OUT OF OUR LOCAL AD VALOREM TAX.

IT'S COMING OUT OF STUFF COMING FROM THE STATE OR KIND OF LIKE THE HOT TAX.

OR IS THAT IS THAT THE PROGRAM FROM THE STATE LEVEL AUTHORIZES US TO CREATE.

SO IT'S ONLY AUTHORIZING YOU TO USE LOCAL FUNDS.

MONEY HAS TO DO WITH EMILY. YEAH, SURE. YOU DIDN'T LIKE MY ANSWER.

SO THE REVENUES ON THE TOURS COME OFF OF PROPERTY TAX VALUATION INCREASES.

YES. SO WHEN THE TOURS IS ESTABLISHED THERE'S A CERTAIN VALUE IN THAT ZONE.

YES. AND ANY GROWTH IN PROPERTY VALUES IS WHAT FUNDS THE ACTIVITIES OF THE TOURS.

SO THERE COULD BE SMALL INCREMENTAL GROWTH IF THE TOURS WERE NOT ESTABLISHED JUST BASED OFF OF THE MODEST VALUATION INCREASE.

THE REINVESTMENT OF THESE FUNDS AND THE ALLOWABLE INCENTIVES IS INTENDED TO BE A BOOST TO DEVELOPMENT AND TO INCREASED VALUES. SO THERE WOULD BE INCREMENTAL VALUE INCREASES, BUT IT WOULD NOT BE THE INJECTION OF NEW REVENUE AND INCENTIVES. AND THE GOAL IS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY.

THE PROPERTY VALUE BY IMPROVING THESE USING THESE INCENTIVES.

SO THANK YOU. I THINK YOU ANSWERED MY QUESTION. APPRECIATE IT.

AND I'LL SAY THAT THE TOURS ALSO EVENTUALLY EXPIRES.

AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS, THEN ALL THAT PROPERTY VALUE GOES INTO THE GENERAL FUND AND IS NOT LIMITED TO THE BOUNDARY.

STILL, IN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM 13. WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK? SEEING NO ONE, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? IF NOT, I'LL ACCEPT A MOTION IN A SECOND.

MOVE FOR APPROVAL. I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN BEARD.

SECOND. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN PRICE. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? WE'RE READY TO VOTE. FOUR YESES. MOTION CARRIES.

MOTION CARRIES. NOW MOVE TO ITEM 20, AND I'LL ASK LESLIE ANDREWS, DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION,

[20. Ordinance (Final Reading): Receive a Report, Hold a Discussion and Take Action on Amending the FY26 Fee Schedule for Cypress Plaza and Recreation Centers (Lesli Andrews)]

TO PRESENT THIS ITEM. GOOD MORNING. COUNCIL. LESLIE ANDREWS, DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION, VERY EXCITED TO BE BEFORE YOU TODAY, BECAUSE THAT MEANS TWO PROJECTS ARE ABOUT TO GO LIVE AND AVAILABLE FOR THE CITIZENS OF ABILENE TO USE.

SO WE CONSIDER THIS A WONDERFUL DAY IN THE FIRST STEPS OF MAKING THAT HAPPEN.

AS YOU KNOW, THE ANNUAL FEE SCHEDULE IS APPROVED BY COUNCIL DURING THE NORMAL BUDGET PROCESS.

[01:00:04]

WITH THESE TWO PROJECTS COMING ONLINE MID-YEAR, AND WE ARE REQUESTING COUNCIL TO REVIEW THE FEES ASSOCIATED WITH THESE TWO PROJECTS. THE FIRST ONE THAT I WILL BRING BEFORE YOU TODAY IS THE CYPRESS PLAZA PROPOSED FEES.

THIS IS THE NEW PLAZA THAT HAS IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING BUILT BETWEEN NORTH FIRST AND NORTH SECOND ON CYPRESS STREET.

THEREFORE THE NAME CYPRESS PLAZA. THERE ARE TWO PAVILIONS WITH GREEN SPACE ATTACHED TO BOTH WITH A WATER FEATURE IN THE MIDDLE.

WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING TODAY IS ONE PAVILION RENTAL FOR A HALF DAY BEING $250, FULL DAY, $500.

IF YOU WANT TO RENT BOTH PAVILIONS AND GREEN SPACES FOR A FULL DAY, $750.

THERE IS A DAMAGE DEPOSIT, ADMINISTRATIVE FEE.

WE DO HAVE POWER. WE PLANNED FOR POWER IN THE PAVILIONS AND ALONG THE LIGHT POLES.

SO IF IF THE EVENT IS NEEDING EXTRA ELECTRICITY, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE THAT.

IT'S $25 PER PAVILION PER POLE. OR IF THEY NEED EXTENDED HOURS OVER SIX HOURS, AN EXTRA $40 TO HELP OFFSET THE COST OF THE UTILITIES. MOVING ON TO THE RECREATION CENTERS.

WE HAVE THE TWO NEW RECREATION CENTERS GETTING READY TO COME ONLINE.

THESE ARE NEW STATE OF THE ART RECREATION CENTERS.

WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT WE WILL BE OFFERING IN THESE CENTERS.

UNLIKE WHAT WE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST, WE ARE GIVING THE ABILITY FOR, FOR DIFFERENT ENTITIES TO BE ABLE TO BOOK A ROOM FOR AN EVENT.

AS WELL AS THE, AS THE WHOLE BUILDING. ON SOME OCCASIONS.

SO IF YOU WANT TO USE THE ACTIVITY ROOM, THE CLASSROOM, A CLASSROOM, A CLASSROOM, B BOTH CLASSROOMS TOGETHER, THE GAME ROOM. THE GYM. HALF GYM. MULTI-PURPOSE ROOM.

MANY DIFFERENT ROOMS THAT WE HAVE IN THESE. IN THESE RECREATION CENTERS.

I WILL SAY AT THIS POINT, WALKING INTO THE RECREATION CENTER IS FEE.

WE DO HAVE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO CALL MEMBERSHIPS.

THE MEMBERSHIPS ARE FREE, BUT THAT IS REALLY JUST HOW A FAMILY, HOW WE INTERACT WITH THE FAMILY.

SO IF THEY WANT TO GO USE THE FITNESS ROOM AND WE NEED THEM TO SIGN A WAIVER, SIGN A WAIVER, IT WILL BE AN ELECTRONIC WAIVER THAT IS KEPT WITH THEIR MEMBERSHIP.

SO EVERY TIME THEY WALK IN THE DOOR, THEY DON'T HAVE TO KEEP SIGNING THE SAME WAIVER OVER AND OVER.

IT WOULD BE ELECTRONICALLY STORED. SO FOR PEOPLE WHO SAY IS THERE GOING TO BE A MEMBERSHIP, WE'RE CALLING IT A MEMBERSHIP JUST SO WE CAN TRACK THE ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THEY MAY HAVE TO SIGN DEPENDING ON WHAT ROOM THEY'RE IN.

BUT IT IS FREE OF CHARGE. YOU CAN WALK INTO THE BUILDING, YOU CAN USE THE TRACK, YOU CAN USE THE FITNESS ROOM, YOU CAN USE THE LIBRARY. ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE FREE FOR THE CITIZENS TO USE.

THESE FEES ARE REALLY FOR SPECIAL SPECIAL GROUPS THAT WANT TO BOOK A SPECIAL ROOM FOR A SPECIAL NEED, WHETHER IT'S A BIRTHDAY PARTY, WHETHER IT'S A NONPROFIT GATHERING OF SOME SORT, WHETHER IT'S ANOTHER PART, ANOTHER SOMEBODY COMING OUT TOWN AND A, A TRAVELING VOLLEYBALL GROUP THAT WANTS A GYM TO HAVE A PRACTICE AT.

THOSE ARE JUST KIND OF THE THINGS WE'RE JUST PUTTING ALL OF THIS ON THE LIST.

SOME OF THE OTHER FEES THAT WE ARE PROPOSING SPORTS EQUIPMENT BAG WE HAVE THE ABILITY WHEN SOMEBODY BOOKS OUR GYM, THEY CAN BOOK A BAG WITH IT COMES BASKETBALLS, VOLLEYBALLS, CORNHOLE, ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT YOU MAY NOT WANT TO TRAVEL WITH OR HAVE IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD. WE WILL PROVIDE A BAG THAT HAS ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT THINGS IN IT THAT YOU WANT TO PLAY WHEN YOU'RE WITHIN OUR FACILITY, THERE IS THE NORMAL ADMINISTRATIVE FEE, VISUAL ARTS, VISUAL AUDIO, VISUAL FEE AND BOUNCE HOUSES.

WE WILL NOT APPROVE BOUNCE HOUSES WITHIN THE RECREATION CENTERS, BUT WE WILL ALLOW THEM OUTSIDE THE RECREATION CENTER.

SO IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO RENT A BOUNCE HOUSE FOR A BIRTHDAY PARTY, THEY WANT A ROOM INSIDE, BUT THEY WANT THE BOUNCE HOUSE OUTSIDE. WE WILL HAVE THAT AVAILABILITY.

THE DAMAGE DEPOSITS USED, PLAYER USE FEE ADDITIONAL STAFF.

IF SOMEBODY BOOKS A ROOM IT'S THE TWO, THEY GET TWO STAFF PEOPLE WITH THAT FEE.

IF IT IS A VERY LARGE GROUP OR IF IT IS GOING TO HAVE ALCOHOL AND WE NEED MORE THAN TWO STAFF PEOPLE THERE, IT'S AN EXTRA $30 AN HOUR PER STAFF PERSON. SO YOU AUTOMATICALLY GET TWO STAFF MEMBERS WHEN AS PART OF A ROOM RENTAL.

IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE DOING THAT AFTER HOURS, IF IT IS DURING OUR NORMAL OPERATION HOURS, WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE TWO STAFF PEOPLE IN IN THE BUILDING AND IT WILL BE AGAIN, PART OF WHAT IS ALREADY INCLUDED IN THE ORIGINAL PACKET.

[01:05:06]

THE RIBBON CUTTING FOR THE TWO RECREATION CENTERS IS SCHEDULED FOR APRIL 22ND.

IN THE AFTERNOON GV DANIELS IS SCHEDULED FOR 1:30 P.M.

AND THEN WE WILL MOVE OVER TO CESAR CHAVEZ RECREATION CENTER OR DEPENDING ON THE DIRECTION OF WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE WORLD, WHATEVER THE NAME IS GOING TO BE, THAT WILL BE AT 215 ON APRIL 22ND.

THE CYPRESS PLAZA CYPRESS STREET RIBBON CUTTING IS SCHEDULED FOR MAY 28TH AT 4 P.M..

AND SO WHAT IF CITY COUNCIL APPROVES THESE FEES TODAY? WE WILL IMMEDIATELY START TAKING RESERVATIONS FOR BOTH THE PLAZA AND THE RECREATION CENTERS.

BUT WE WILL NOT ACCEPT THEM BEFORE JUNE 1ST. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE OPEN AND, AND READY FOR THE RESERVATIONS WHEN WE BEGIN.

SO JUNE 1ST IS THE DATE THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME, PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE AN ACTIVITY THERE, EVEN THOUGH WE WILL START ACCEPTING RESERVATIONS ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AND THEY WILL BE ABLE TO BOOK UP TO A YEAR IN ADVANCE.

AND THEY WOULD BE BOOKING CYPRESS PLAZA. THEY WOULD BOOK THROUGH THE NORMAL SPECIAL EVENTS PROCESS.

THE RECREATION CENTERS, THEY WOULD BOOK THROUGH THE NORMAL RECREATION PROCESS.

AND I AM HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. QUESTIONS FOR LESLIE.

I HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. FIRST OF ALL, CONGRATULATIONS ON THE HARD WORK YOU AND YOUR TEAM HAVE DONE.

THANK YOU. SUPER GRATEFUL FOR YOU AND YOUR LEADERSHIP.

THE FIRST QUESTION I HAD IS, YOU KNOW, I WAS THINKING ABOUT A RESERVATION POLICY LIMIT THAT CAN MAYBE, AND I'M SURE YOUR TEAM'S ON IT, BUT I'M JUST THINKING OF THE NUMBER OF DATES THAT MAYBE ONE SINGLE USER COULD HAVE SO THAT THEY'RE POSSIBLY NOT CONSUMING MOST OF THE OPEN DATES. IS THERE A POLICY THAT YOU GUYS HAVE IN PLACE? IS THIS KIND OF A WAIT AND SEE? IT WAS JUST SOMETHING I WAS THINKING ABOUT JUST BECAUSE IN ANY GIVEN MONTH OR YEAR, JUST TO MAKE SURE THERE'S AN EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE TO RESERVE.

IS THERE SOMETHING IN PLACE YET IN THE POLICIES THAT WE HAVE WRITTEN, WE HAVE SENT WE HAVE THE WE HAVE POLICIES FOR BOTH THE PLAZA AND THE RECREATION CENTERS. WE HAVE WRITTEN THEM. THEY ARE IN THE FINAL DRAFT EVALUATION.

WE DID CONSIDER THIS AND OUR DO HAVE A BULLET POINT TO ADDRESS THAT PARTICULAR NEED IF IT SO ARISES.

PERFECT. AND THEN LASTLY IS I DON'T KNOW, YOU MAY HAVE IT, BUT LIKE, IF THERE IS A WAY TO TRACK FROM A DATA PERSPECTIVE, PAVILION USAGE I DON'T KNOW, IT JUST TO ME, IT GIVES YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF SHOW SUCCESS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE RENTING, HOW MANY AREAS IT'S COVERING.

IF THERE ARE SOME AREAS THAT MAYBE DON'T FEEL THEY HAVE THE ACCESS, THERE'S SOME WAYS TO KIND OF PULL THEM IN AND MAKE THEM FEEL A PART OF.

BUT THAT'S JUST FOR ME. I THINK IT'D BE UNIQUE FOR THE CITIZENS TO KNOW LIKE THE SUCCESS OF KIND OF THE SYSTEMS YOU GUYS HAVE PLACED IN POSITION TO MAKE IT SUCCESSFUL AND GIVE THEM SOME KIND OF DATA REFERENCE POINT.

BUT THAT WAS, THOSE WERE PRETTY MUCH THE ONLY TWO ONES THAT I HAD.

AND TO ADDRESS THAT POINT, IF THEY ARE BOOKING AN EVENT THROUGH THE SPECIAL EVENTS PROCESS, WE WILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO, TO TRACK THAT AND RUN REPORTS ON THE USAGE WHEN IT'S NOT BOOKED FOR A SPECIAL EVENT.

IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO WALK OVER THERE AND SIT AND EAT LUNCH, WE DON'T HAVE IT MARKED WHERE WE WOULD KNOW THAT KIND OF USAGE.

NOW THERE IS SOFTWARE PACKAGES OUT THERE IF THAT'S SOMETHING THE CITY WANTS TO START DOING.

BUT THAT WE HAVE NOT ENTERTAINED AT THIS POINT AT PLAZA, BUT FOR SPECIAL EVENTS FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO.

TO RESERVE THE LOCATION, WE WILL HAVE THAT ABILITY.

ON THE RECREATION SIDE, WE DO HAVE COUNTERS. SO IN THE OLD CENTERS WE DID NOT.

SO WE DIDN'T HAVE A GOOD WAY OF TRACKING THE USAGE WITHIN THE BUILDING.

IN THE NEW RECREATION CENTERS, WE DID ACCOUNT FOR THAT.

SO WE WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE GOOD DATA ON HOW MUCH THE DIFFERENT ROOMS AND THE BUILDING IS BEING USED.

LOVE THAT. LOVE THAT. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THAT.

AND I GUESS LASTLY, SELFISHLY, THERE'S A LIMIT ON CONSECUTIVE WEEKENDS PEOPLE CAN RESERVE IT BECAUSE SAY THERE'S A WEEKEND, YOU'RE DOWNTOWN WITH FAMILY. YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY THAT EVERY SINGLE WEEKEND THE PAVILION WILL BE BOOKED OUT FOR SOME EVENT.

I'M SURE THERE'S SOME PROTECTIONS THERE THAT ARE IN PLACE IS THAT I DON'T KNOW THAT I WOULD GUARANTEE THAT.

OKAY. JUST CURIOUS. THERE IS A LOT OF INTEREST IN BOOKING THAT KNOW, OUR INTENT IS NOT TO HAVE EVERY PAVILION BOOKED EVERY WEEKEND, ALL THE TIME. IF SOMEBODY IS GOING TO BE HAVING AN ABANDON A LARGE GROUP.

THEY HAVE TO BOOK BOTH PAVILIONS. IF IT'S A SMALLER GROUP AND THEY JUST WANT TO HAVE, SAY, A FAMILY REUNION, USING THE PAUSE AND PLAYING ON THE GREEN SPACE, THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO RESERVE ONE AND THE OTHER ONE WOULD BE FREE TO TO OPEN USE.

[01:10:04]

SO SO WE WILL BE MONITORING THAT SO THAT WE'RE NOT OVERBOOKING THE PLAZAS.

BUT I CAN'T GUARANTEE THAT BOTH WON'T BE BOOKED AT SOME PERIOD OF TIME DURING THE WEEKEND.

SURE. OKAY. TRAVIS, IT BROUGHT ME A LOT OF JOY THAT YOU ASKED TWO LAST QUESTIONS.

LESLIE ON MEMBERSHIPS, YOU SAID MEMBERSHIPS WERE FREE TO RESIDENTS.

ARE THEY ALSO FREE TO OUT OF TOWN PEOPLE? YES.

OKAY. ACROSS THE BOARD. AND THEN I ACTUALLY HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY PUBLIC EMAILS OR FEEDBACK ON THE, ON THE RATES FOR THE ROOM CHARGES, ETC., WHICH SILENCE TYPICALLY MEANS A GOOD THING.

I ASSUME YOU GUYS HAVE JUST KIND OF THESE NUMBERS ARE PULLED FROM THE OTHER FACILITIES THAT WE USE.

AND THEY'RE COMPARABLE. YES. WE IT'S BOTH FROM OTHER FACILITIES THAT WE HAVE AS WELL AS OTHER FACILITIES ACROSS THE CITY.

AND IT WAS ALSO TAKING IN MIND THE COUNCIL'S POLICIES ON REVENUE RECOVERY.

WE TOOK ALL OF THAT INFORMATION WHEN WE ESTABLISHED THIS FEE RATE.

VERY GOOD. WELL, YOU GUYS HAVE DONE IT. YOU AND THE BOARD AND YOUR STAFF HAVE DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB WITH BOTH PROJECTS AT THE SAME TIME.

SO THIS IS LIKE TRAVIS SAID, A HUGE A HEAVY LIFT.

SO THANK YOU GUYS. THANK YOU. STANLEY, THIS ITEM IS ON FEES.

CAN WE ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THE NAME OR NOT? I THINK THAT'D PROBABLY BE OUTSIDE THE NOTICE OF THE PUBLIC.

YES, SIR. AS A COUNCILMAN. REAGAN BOOKED HIS CONCERT THERE YET? I DIDN'T KNOW I HAD A CONCERT. I'M INTRIGUED.

ARE YOU SINGING MAYOR? ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, PLEASE? WELL, WE KNOW SHE DOESN'T TRAVEL WITH CORNHOLE BAGS.

BUT I DO HAVE THEM AT MY HOUSE. THERE YOU GO.

THANK YOU. LESLIE. THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.

IS THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK EITHER FOR OR AGAINST ITEM 20? PLEASE COME FORWARD AND GIVE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD. HEY, Y'ALL, IT'S RILEY AGAIN OVER ON OVERSTREET BLAZE.

I DON'T MEAN TO STEP ON WHAT YOU JUST SAID, BUT I ACTUALLY DO WANT TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE FEES A LITTLE BIT. PARTICULARLY, IS THERE A WAY WE CAN GO BACK ON THIS SLIDE TO THE TO THE PAGE? HEY, A NATURAL. I'M A NATURAL, Y'ALL. PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO THE ACTIVITY ROOMS. $150 AN HOUR IS, IS PRETTY STEEP. IF YOU WANT A COUPLE HOURS, 400, I MEAN 450.

THESE THESE PRICES SEEM A BIT HIGH FOR, FOR A ROOM ITSELF, RIGHT? LIKE I CAN UNDERSTAND A GYM. AS A MATTER OF FACT, IT'S KIND OF WEIRD THAT THE GYM WOULD BE JUST ONLY $25 HIGHER THAN THE ACTIVITY ROOM.

AS SOMEBODY WHO WORKS IN THE FITNESS INDUSTRY, I WORK AT A GYM, PEOPLE PAY GYM MEMBERSHIPS.

WE ACTUALLY HAVE WAY MORE LUCK WITH PEOPLE HAVING A SMALLER MEMBERSHIP.

AND I KNOW THAT WE'RE WORKING ON RECOVERING REVENUE.

I FEEL LIKE A LOWER INCOME FAMILY OR A LOWER INCOME GROUP COULD AFFORD A SMALL IF THEY DON'T HAVE TO.

BUT IF THEY COULD AFFORD A SMALL MEMBERSHIP, IF IT WERE TO BE ABLE TO BRING DOWN THE PRICES OF SOME OF THESE ROOMS. A LOT OF YOU KNOW, I WORK WITH A LOT OF ORGANIZING GROUPS, AND ONE OF THE ISSUES WE ALL RUN INTO IS WE CAN'T AFFORD TO BE THERE OR WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO BE THERE, DEPENDING ON THE ORDINANCES AND THE POLICIES OF THE PARTICULAR SPOT.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO I WOULD HOPE THAT THE COUNCIL DOES REEVALUATE SOME OF THESE MEMBERS OR SOME OF THESE THESE RATES ON THE ROOMS, BECAUSE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT AFFORDABILITY BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT WHEN IT COMES TO THESE, THESE PLACES. IT'S NOT EASY TO TO BRING PEOPLE HERE.

I DO JIU JITSU AND WE HAVE A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT WANT TO HOST JIU JITSU MEETS HERE.

ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS IS YOU DON'T GET, YOU DON'T MAKE A LOT OF MONEY RUNNING A JIU JITSU GYM. SO PRICES ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT WHEN IT COMES TO USING PUBLIC FACILITIES.

I FIND IT A LITTLE BIT ODD THAT WE HAVE A GAME ROOM THAT'S $35 AN HOUR, BUT THERE'S GOING TO BE TWO COMPUTERS IN THERE THAT ARE EXPENSIVE.

BUT WE ARE A ROOM THAT DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

IT'S 150 AND MAYBE I'M MISUNDERSTANDING WHAT THE THE AMENITIES OF THAT ROOM MIGHT BE, BUT I WOULD LIKE THE CITY TO AFFORD YOU BEFORE YOU APPROVE THIS, TO CONSIDER BRINGING THOSE RATES DOWN SOME. THANK YOU.

UNTIL THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM 20. WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK? I'M TAMMY FOGEL, RESIDENT, AND I'M SURPRISED YOU HAVEN'T HEARD ANY FEEDBACK. BUT I DO THINK THIS IS BECAUSE EVERY TIME IT'S BEEN MENTIONED IN MY PRESENCE, IT'S LIKE, WOW. THAT'S THAT'S REALLY STEEP. AS SOMEONE WHO IS PARTICIPATED IN NONPROFITS.

I WOULD NOT RENT A FACILITY FROM THE CITY BECAUSE THAT'S NOT A WISE INVESTMENT TO ME FOR THE AMOUNT OF TIME I CAN RENT AN ENTIRE FACILITY WITH EVERYTHING FOR $500 FOR FIVE HOURS. AND SO THIS SEEMS SO STEEP FOR JUST EVEN A CLASSROOM RENTAL.

I'VE USED THE PUBLIC LIBRARY, AND BECAUSE I'M A NONPROFIT, I CAN HOST CLASSES THERE FOR FREE.

[01:15:02]

BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE HERE. FROM WHAT UNDERSTANDING? I THINK THIS IS ANOTHER FAILED OPPORTUNITY FOR REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY FOR FEEDBACK.

AND I THINK IF THEY HAD THE, THE DEPARTMENT HAD REACHED OUT TO THE CITIZENS AND ASKED THEM, IS THIS REASONABLE? WOULD YOU PAY THIS? WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS IS FOR? YOU WOULD HAVE GOTTEN PROBABLY A DIFFERENT RESPONSE. I ALSO THINK THAT I UNDERSTAND THE FEES ARE FOR RATE RECOVERY.

I CAN'T THINK OF THE RIGHT WORD. REVENUE RECOVERY.

BUT WHERE DO THE FUNDS GO? ARE THEY GOING TO FUND THE, THE GYMS, THE RECREATION CENTERS? ARE THEY GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THE PARKS THAT HAVE BEEN NOT TAKEN CARE OF? WHERE ARE THESE GOING? AND ANOTHER MISSED OPPORTUNITY IS TO COMMUNICATE. THESE FUNDS WILL SUPPLY THIS.

THIS WILL TAKE CARE OF THIS. I KNOW IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO PASS TODAY.

I ONLY HAVE SO MANY FLOWERS I CAN YELL OUT TO THE PUBLIC, HEY GUYS, PEOPLE STOP LISTENING TO ME.

IF I WOULD TELL THEM AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE, I THINK THIS IS GOING TO GO THROUGH WITHOUT ANY RESISTANCE BECAUSE THE PUBLIC DOESN'T KNOW. AND LIKE WAS MENTIONED, RILEY MENTIONED THAT, YOU KNOW, MEMBERSHIP FEE MAKES MORE SENSE THAN HAVING I MEAN, WE'RE CITIZENS. WE'RE PAYING FOR THIS WITH OUR TAX DOLLARS, AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY FOR IT TO USE IT. IT JUST SEEMS NOT VERY IN TOUCH WITH THE TIMES AND WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH. AND I FEEL LIKE IF WE HAD MORE CITIZEN INPUT, MORE COMMUNICATION, WE WOULD NOT BE IN THIS POSITION TO WHERE NOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WAIT ANOTHER YEAR TO ADJUST THESE FEES. AND I GUESS TIME WILL TELL HOW MUCH, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO RENT THESE FACILITIES AND WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO USE THEM FOR, AND TO SEE IF IT'S ACTUALLY BENEFICIAL TO HAVE COMPETITIVE MARKET RATES WITH PRIVATE INDUSTRY, OR SHOULD WE JUST BE A PUBLIC BUILDING THAT WE CAN USE FACILITIES BECAUSE PUBLIC SPACES ARE DIFFERENT THAN PRIVATE SPACES.

AND THIS IS A PUBLIC SPACE THAT WE PAY FOR WITH OUR TAX DOLLARS.

WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. ADDITIONALLY, ON TOP OF THAT, WITH MORE FEES, BECAUSE THAT'S JUST NOT GOOD BUDGETING OR, OR GOOD FINANCIAL BEHAVIOR IN MY OPINION. SO I'VE HEARD LOTS OF COMPLAINTS.

THEY'RE JUST NOT HERE TODAY AND THEY PROBABLY HAVEN'T REACHED OUT TO YOU BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW THAT PROCESS WORKS OR IF IT EVEN REALLY MATTERS.

SO I WOULD, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU REEVALUATE THIS AND NOT PASS IT, BUT HISTORY SAYS IT WILL PROBABLY PASS THROUGH NO PROBLEM.

SO ANYWAY, NEXT TIME LEARN THE LESSON AND DO BETTER NEXT TIME.

RATHER THAN CONTINUING TO MAKE THE SAME MISTAKES OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

THANKS. STILL IN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM 20.

I ACTUALLY WASN'T PREPARED TO SAY ANYTHING TODAY, BUT I AM VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT.

OH, ANDREW. SORRY. I LIVE ON SWANSTON STREET, AND THIS IS ACTUALLY GOING TO BE LIKE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND I'VE LIVED IN THIS AREA A REALLY LONG TIME, AND THERE'S A LOT OF KIDS WHO REALLY LOVE THE SPACES THAT ARE THERE.

AND PEOPLE WHO RENT WANT TO RENT OUT THE GYM.

THE CONCERN TO ME ABOUT PRICES IS THAT THIS IS IN A VERY LOW INCOME AREA.

AND THE BENEFIT OF HAVING A PUBLIC SPACE IS FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO USE IT.

AND I KNOW THAT, THAT YOU WANT TO MAKE REVENUE BACK FROM THIS, BUT I THINK WHAT MAY ACTUALLY BE MORE EFFECTIVE IS TO LOWER THE RATES SO THAT MORE PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY ABLE TO USE THEM. THIS CAN BE REALLY BENEFICIAL FOR THIS AREA TO BE ABLE TO PARTAKE IN COMMUNITY WITH EACH OTHER.

AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS AFFORDABLE FOR PEOPLE.

AND ALSO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WORKING ON THESE PROJECTS.

I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT MORE COMMUNITY SPACE DEVELOPMENT.

AND I REALLY WANT TO IMPRESS ON THAT. THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.

BUT THIS IS ALSO NOT AFFORDABLE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, AND ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE HAVING A LOT OF HOUSING ISSUES AND PRICES GOING UP FOR A LOT OF FAMILIES. SO PLEASE KEEP THAT IN MIND WHENEVER YOU THINK ABOUT THIS, IT MAY NOT BE A VERY BIG FEE TO YOU, BUT IT IS FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE AND CHURCHES OR SMALL COMMUNITY GROUPS MAY NOT HAVE THE BUDGET TO BOOK ROOMS LIKE THIS, EVEN THOUGH THEY WOULD REALLY WANT TO. SO THANK YOU FOR THE TIME.

ANDREW. WHAT WAS YOUR LAST NAME? PEARSALL. WE'RE STILL IN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM 20.

WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK? SEEING NO ONE, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I'D LIKE TO ASK LESLIE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.

WE. AND THIS ISN'T YOUR PURVIEW, BUT WE CURRENTLY CHARGE A FEE TO PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS TO USE THE LIBRARY, TO HAVE A LIBRARY CARD TO BE ABLE TO CHECK OUT BOOKS.

I'M CURIOUS, DID WE LOOK AT HAVING A MEMBERSHIP FEE THAT THEY'RE PAYING FOR MEMBERSHIP FOR PEOPLE THAT DON'T LIVE IN THE CITY LIMITS, THAT AREN'T PAYING PROPERTY TAXES TO HELP FUND THE CENTERS? WE DID NOT LOOK AT THAT AT THE TIME THAT MOST OF THESE CONVERSATIONS WERE HAPPENING.

WHEN WE WERE PREPARING FOR ALL OF THIS. THE DIRECTION THAT I WAS GIVEN WAS MAKE THE BUILDING FREE FOR ANYONE TO BE ABLE TO COME AND USE AND ONLY CHARGE FOR WHAT I'M GOING TO CALL PRIVATE RENTALS. AND SO WE DID NOT LIKE GOING IN AND USING THE WEIGHT ROOM AND THOSE THINGS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE

[01:20:07]

MEMBERSHIP FOR THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO SIGN A WAIVER AND ALL THAT IS FREE, WHETHER YOU'RE IN IN THE CITY LIMITS OR OUT.

WE DID NOT LOOK AT CHARGING FOR OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS.

WE CAN AND BRING IT FORWARD AS AS PART OF THE FEE SCHEDULE THAT WILL BE COMING TO COUNCIL IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS.

BUT THAT CHARGING FOR OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS, WE DID NOT LOOK AT THAT.

I'D LIKE TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT IT. AND A RECOMMENDATION FROM YOU.

IF WE'RE GOING TO CHARGE THOSE THAT ARE NOT PAYING PROPERTY TAXES TO HELP FUND THIS.

I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT. YEAH. AND THEN THE, THE OTHER QUESTION THAT DOESN'T DISTRACT ME.

I HAD A SECOND QUESTION, BUT I'VE LOST IT NOW. THAT'S OKAY.

OH, SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT YOU MENTIONED FREE USE.

AND SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT ARE FEES FOR SOMEBODY TO COME IN AND SAY, I WANT EXCLUSIVE USE OF THIS AREA.

CORRECT. PEOPLE CAN JUST COME IN AND USE THE GYM TO PLAY BASKETBALL OR WHETHER UNLESS IT'S RESERVED BY A GROUP FOR EXCLUSIVE USE.

AND SO WE'RE NOT CHARGING FOR PEOPLE TO COME IN AND ENJOY THE REC CENTERS.

CORRECT. WE'RE JUST CHARGING FOR PEOPLE TO EXCLUSIVELY USE A SECTION OF IT.

SO JUST I JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM THAT DISTINCTION.

THAT IS THAT IS CORRECT. AND WE WILL BE DOING A LOT OF PROGRAMING THAT WILL BE FREE FOR THE CITIZENS TO COME IN.

WE WILL HAVE OPEN GYM TIMES THAT IS FREE FOR THE CITIZENS TO COME IN.

THE GAME ROOM DOES HAVE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF HIGH DOLLAR COMPUTERS AND EQUIPMENT IN THERE.

SO THE THAT IS ACTUALLY A POD TO TO BOOK TWO COMPUTERS OUT OF A MULTITUDE OF COMPUTERS IN THAT ROOM.

AND FOR EXAMPLE, IF A GROUP THAT WANTS TO COMPETE IN UIL WANTS TO HAVE A PRACTICE, THIS GIVES US THE ABILITY TO HAVE A DEDICATED TIME FOR THEM. BUT MOST OF THE TIME, A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF THE TIME IT WILL BE FREE FOR ANYBODY TO COME AND USE THE FITNESS ROOM WITH ALL THE EQUIPMENT THAT WE FITNESS EQUIPMENT WE'VE PUT IN THERE. IF YOU WALK IN THE DOOR, IT WILL BE ABLE TO BE USED FREE OF CHARGE.

AND I DON'T SEE THE FITNESS ROOM BEING BOOKED FOR A PRIVATE RENTAL, BUT IT COULD BE POSSIBLE IN THE CLASSROOMS OR THE ACTIVITY ROOM.

AND WE WILL BE PARTNERING WITH A LOT OF WE'RE LOOKING TO PARTNER WITH A MULTITUDE OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE TO TEACH DIFFERENT CLASSES WITHIN THESE VARIOUS ROOMS. AND AGAIN, IT WOULD, IT MAY BE A NOMINAL FEE, YOU KNOW, FOR THE ARTS AND CRAFTS SUPPLIES OR YOU KNOW, MAYBE TO, YOU KNOW, DO A PARTICULAR THING, BUT THERE WILL BE A LOT OF VERY AFFORDABLE PROGRAMING THAT IS HAPPENING IN THESE CENTERS FOR ALL PEOPLE OF ALL AGES.

AND JUST FOR CLARITY, ON THIS PARTICULAR SCREEN, THE GAME ROOM IS 300 AN HOUR.

THE GAME ROOM MULTIPLAYER IS $35 AN HOUR. IS THAT LIKE THE EQUIPMENT TO USE IN THE GAME ROOM IS 35 AN HOUR? YES, WE KNOW IF YOU WANT TO BOOK THE ROOM WHERE YOU HAVE EXCLUSIVE USE OF THE ROOM AND ALL OF THE COMPUTERS IN THE ROOM, IT IS $300. IF, IF YOU AND A FRIEND WANT TO PLAY EACH OTHER IN A PARTICULAR GAME AND YOU NEED TWO COMPUTERS, IT'S $35 AN HOUR IF YOU WANT RESTRICTED. IF IT IS NOT RESERVED, IT IS FREE OF CHARGE.

A LIMIT OF TWO HOURS PER INDIVIDUAL. OKAY, GREAT.

THANK YOU. YOU AND ME, SHANE PALMER. HE'S A GAMER.

JUST TO FOLLOW UP A LITTLE BIT ON SHANE'S POINT YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOTHING STOPPING A GROUP OF GUYS PLAYING BASKETBALL TOGETHER.

YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST NOT RESTRICTED USE FOR THEM.

THEY CAN STILL GO THERE AND USE THE FACILITIES FOR FREE AS A GROUP.

IT'S JUST NOT EXCLUSIVE ACCESS. CORRECT. THE ONLY CAVEAT THAT I'M GOING TO SAY ON THAT IS, IS GOING BECAUSE IT'S THE SAME GYM AREA THAT'S GOING TO HAVE BASKETBALL, VOLLEYBALL AND PICKLEBALL YOU KNOW, TO WALK IN THE DOOR IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A PICKUP GAME OF BASKETBALL, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND KEEP HALF OF THE GYM AVAILABLE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE. SO YOU HAVE TO PLAY HALF COURT, NOT FULL COURT BECAUSE THE OTHER HALF IS BEING USED BY VOLLEYBALL OR PICKLEBALL.

SO SO THERE IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE SOME SHARING.

BUT YES, IT WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR IF SOMEBODY SAID, YOU KNOW, IT'S RAINING AND THEY DON'T WANT TO USE THE OUTSIDE BASKETBALL COURT.

LET'S GO INSIDE AND PLAY. IT WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR THAT.

THANK YOU. LESLIE ON THE CLASSROOMS AS WELL. WORKS THE SAME WAY.

IF IT'S NOT RESERVED, I CAN GO IN THERE WITH FOUR OTHER PEOPLE AND WE CAN WORK ON SOMETHING.

IF AFTER 30 MINUTES SOMEONE RESERVES IT, THEN WHAT? STAFF WOULD ASK US TO STEP OUT? BUT IF IT'S NOT RESERVED, IT'S STILL OPEN FOR EVERYONE.

FREE OF. FREE OF CHARGE, RIGHT? THAT IS CORRECT.

AND AND AND A REMINDER, THE LIBRARY IS IN HERE.

AND SO WE ARE PARTNERING WITH THE LIBRARY ON PROGRAMING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

LIBRARY HAS MORE RESTRICTIONS ON NOT CHARGING FOR FEES THAN RECREATION DOES.

SO IF WE'RE PARTNERING WITH THE LIBRARY, WE WILL FOLLOW THEIR, THEIR STRICTER NON CHARGING POLICIES,

[01:25:02]

STATE POLICIES THAN WE WOULD THE RECREATION SIDE.

AND THESE CLASSROOMS ARE BUILT TO ALSO BE A MAKERSPACE AREA.

SO THERE'S A LOT MORE ELECTRICITY AND THINGS THAT WE HAVE PROGRAMED INTO THIS OUR INTO THIS AREA.

FOR OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THAT FOR PEOPLE. AND, AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY TO RILEY AND TAMMY HAD THE COMMENTS ON, ON THE PRICING FOR THESE PRIVATE EVENTS. MY THINKING, JUST TO GIVE YOU INSIGHT IS, AGAIN, THESE ARE ALL FREE FOR EVERYONE UNLESS YOU WANT TO EXCLUDE PEOPLE FROM THAT ROOM.

AND SO MY THINKING AS A RESIDENT IS, I WANT THESE TO BE MARKET PRICED OR EVEN A LITTLE ABOVE MARKET PRICE BECAUSE FRANKLY, AS A TAXPAYER, IF I'M ALREADY PAID FOR THIS, I DON'T WANT TO WALK IN AND HAVE IT JUST ALWAYS PRIVATE EVENTS THAT ME AS A RESIDENT CAN'T USE THE FACILITY. SO I WANT IT TO BE MORE OPEN AND MORE OPEN TO THOSE WHO WHO ARE COMING IN TO USE IT ON A FREE, DAILY BASIS. AND SO FROM MY THINKING, I DON'T MIND IT BEING MARKET PRICED OR A LITTLE ABOVE MARKET PRICE, BECAUSE I'D RATHER THEM GO TO A PRIVATE BUSINESSES IF THEY WANT TO RESERVE IT.

AND THIS NOT A LAST RESORT, BUT I WOULD PREFER THIS TO BE MORE OPEN TO ALL THE RESIDENTS.

SO THAT'S WHY I'M IN FAVOR OF THIS. AND I WOULD AGREE WITH SHANE ON YOUR THINKING WITH OUTSIDE CITY LIMITS.

I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT WHAT THAT CHARGE WOULD BE. BUT AGAIN, IT'S IT'S ABILENE TAXPAYERS THAT HAVE FUNDED THIS AND WE'D LOVE FOR OUTSIDE ABILENE RESIDENTS TO DO IT. YOU KNOW, WE GOT THESE RV PARKS COMING IN RIGHT OUTSIDE CITY LIMITS.

THEY WANT THE BENEFITS OF IT. I THINK IT'S IT'S FAIR TO ASK THEM TO PAY SOME.

THANK YOU. LESLIE, THAT'S A TRICKY THING. SO HOW WOULD YOU EVEN BE ABLE TO VERIFY.

I CAN TELL YOU I LIVE IN THE CITY. WELL, NO, YOU YOU WILL HAVE TO ESTABLISH A MEMBERSHIP, AND YOU WILL HAVE TO GIVE AN ADDRESS. AND WE WILL BE GIVING THEM THEIR CODE, THEIR ACCESS CARD OR WHATEVER.

SO YOU WOULD HAVE TO TELL US YOU WOULD HAVE TO SIGN THE WAIVER.

YOU WOULD HAVE TO GIVE US OUR ADDRESS. WE WOULD BE ABLE TO THE SOFTWARE THAT WE HAVE ACTUALLY HAS ABILENE GEOFENCED.

SO IF YOU GIVE US AN ADDRESS OUTSIDE OF. NOW, I GUESS YOU COULD LIE IN YOUR DRIVER'S LICENSE COULD LIE.

BUT AS LONG AS YOUR DRIVER'S LICENSE SHOWS WHAT YOUR ADDRESS IS WITH THE GEOFENCE, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO KNOW IF YOU'RE INSIDE.

SO IT WOULD IT WILL ACTUALLY BE FAIRLY EASY TO DO THAT.

IF THEY'RE GIVING A A DRIVER'S LICENSE, I FEEL BETTER ABOUT THAT THAN JUST MEMORIZING A RANDOM ADDRESS.

THAT'S GREAT. ANYONE ELSE? THANK YOU. POINT OF CLARITY.

WOULD YOU LIKE US TO COME BACK WITH A NON CITY LIMITS MEMBERSHIP FEE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE US TO SEE YOU BRING TO YOU WITH OUR NEXT FEE ORDINANCE, WHICH WOULD BE FOR THE COMING BUDGET YEAR? IS THAT STILL POSSIBLE? SO YOU'RE NOT TAKING RESERVATIONS UNTIL JUNE, CORRECT? FOR PRIVATE RENTALS, WE'LL START TAKING RESERVATIONS NOW, BUT YOU CAN'T ACTUALLY HAVE THE EVENT IN THE BUILDING UNTIL JUNE 1ST.

FOR OPEN FOR OPEN GYM TIME. FOR IF WE'RE GOING TO CHARGE A A FEE FOR PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE RESIDENCE, THAT ACTUALLY COULD BEGIN AS EARLY AS APRIL 22ND.

SO WE WILL ACTUALLY BE OPENING PROBABLY BEFORE I COULD GET AN ORDINANCE BEFORE COUNCIL.

BUT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO IT VERY SOON THEREAFTER.

THAT'S GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.

GOT IT. WE ALREADY HAD IT. SORRY. IT'S CLOSED.

I'LL MOVE FOR APPROVAL. A MOTION AND A SECOND.

THANK YOU. SECOND. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN PRICE AND SECOND BY COUNCILMAN BEARD.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? WE'RE READY TO VOTE. THANK YOU ALL.

ALL YESES. MOTION CARRIES. MOTION CARRIES. WILL NOW MOVE TO ITEM 21.

[21. Ordinance (Final Reading): Receive a Report, Hold a Discussion and Public Hearing, and Take Action to Consider and Adopt Ordinance Authorizing the Issuance and Sale of City of Abilene, Texas Combination Tax and Surplus Revenue Certificates of Obligation, For Water System Improvements; Levying an Annual Ad Valorem Tax and Providing for the Security for and Payment Of such Certificates; Providing an Effective Date; and Enacting Other Provisions Relating to the Subject (Marjorie Knight)]

AND I'LL ASK MARJORIE KNIGHT TO PRESENT THIS ITEM.

MARJORIE KNIGHT, DIRECTOR OF FINANCE BEFORE YOU TODAY IS AN ORDINANCE THAT WILL AUTHORIZE ISSUANCE OF $49 MILLION OF CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION FOR WATER, SEWER IMPROVEMENTS, WATER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS PRIMARILY FOR REHAB AND EXPANSION OF THE NORTHEAST TREATMENT PLANT.

THE CITY HAS PRIMARILY TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF DEBT ISSUANCES.

ONE OF THEM IS TAX SUPPORTED DEBT. THE OTHER IS SELF-SUPPORTED DEBT, PRIMARILY WATER AND SEWER FUNDED WITH WATER AND SEWER REVENUES.

THIS PARTICULAR ISSUANCE WILL BE FUNDED WITH WATER AND SEWER REVENUES.

THERE WILL BE NO INCREASE OR IMPACT TO THE PROPERTY TAX RATE PROVIDED BY THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD THROUGH A REDUCED INTEREST RATE LOAN.

AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS MEETING, I DID DROP SOME PACKETS OFF WITH FINAL NUMBERS, AND I'D LIKE TO INVITE GEORGE WILLIFORD WITH HILLTOP SECURITIES TO PROVIDE A PRESENTATION

[01:30:06]

OF THE SALE. COUNCIL. IT'S GOOD TO BE BEFORE YOU AND ALSO TO PROVIDE INFORMATION REGARDING WHAT IS REALLY FAVORABLE FINANCING FOR THE WATER PROJECT.

THE DRINKING WATER STATE REVOLVING FUND IS A SUBSIDIZED PARTICULAR PROGRAM OF THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD.

AND THE WAY IT WORKS IS THEY GET EPA FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND THEY'RE ABLE TO UTILIZE THOSE DOLLARS IN CONJUNCTION WITH STATE DOLLARS AND PROVIDE FAVORABLE FINANCING. IT'S A COMPETITIVE PROCESS.

EACH YEAR, THEY INVITE APPLICATIONS FROM MUNICIPALITIES AND WATER SUPPLIERS ACROSS THE STATE TO PARTICIPATE OR GET APPROVAL.

IN THE DRINKING WATER, THEY ALSO HAVE A MIRROR PROGRAM FOR SEWER PROJECTS, CLEAN WATER PROGRAM.

AND IT'S A RANKED TYPE COMPETITIVE PROCESS AND DETERMINATION.

THE CITY WAS ABLE TO QUALIFY THIS YEAR OR FOR THE LAST GO ROUND FOR THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT THAT WAS AVAILABLE, AND ACTUALLY THE ORIGINAL APPLICATION WAS HIGHER THAN THIS AND THE ORIGINAL AWARD WAS HIGHER THAN THIS.

BUT THEN THE WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD DETERMINED THAT THEY ONLY HAD FEWER DOLLARS TO SPREAD AROUND, AND THEY CAPPED ELIGIBLE LOANS, THE MAX AT THE 49 MILLION.

SO IN ESSENCE, THE CITY IS GETTING THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT THIS YEAR THAT YOU COULD BORROW THROUGH THE DRINKING WATER PROGRAM.

AS MARJORIE INDICATED ON THE SECOND PAGE, IT, IT'S MORE DESCRIPTIVE.

SPECIFICALLY, THE DRINKING WATER PROGRAM IS STRUCTURED TO PROVIDE INTEREST RATES THAT ARE ESSENTIALLY 35% BELOW WHAT YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO RECEIVE IN THE MARKET. AND THE WAY THOSE ARE DETERMINED IS AND WE, WE GOT FIRST INDICATION LATE LAST WEEK AND THEN MONDAY.

FINALLY FINAL RATES. THEY TAKE CURRENT MARKET INDEX RATES AND THEN APPLY THE DISCOUNTING TO THAT AND SO ON.

SO YOU'VE GOT THAT ON THE BULK OF THE LOAN, THE 48,895,000.

THEY ACTUALLY GAVE US 105,000 AT A 0% INTEREST RATE.

AND THAT'S A COMPONENT OF THE PROJECT. THAT'S FOR ASSET MANAGEMENT PLAN.

SO IT EVEN BLENDS DOWN THE OVERALL RATE A LITTLE BIT MORE.

THIS WILL BE STRUCTURED AS JUST STRAIGHT 20 YEARS.

YOU SEE AT THE BOTTOM LEVEL, REPAYMENT ON THE THIRD PAGE IS A CALENDAR OF EVENTS.

AS FAR AS GOING FORWARD. IF COUNCIL APPROVES AND AUTHORIZES THE ISSUANCE TODAY WOULD PROVIDE FINAL DOCUMENTATION AND SO ON, ALONG WITH SAM GILL AT MCCALL PARKHURST PROVIDING LEGAL DOCUMENTS TO THE WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD.

SO THAT THEN ACTUAL CLOSING DOCUMENTS WOULD BE PROVIDED TO THEM BY THE FIRST WEEK IN APRIL.

AND THEN BASED ON THAT, WOULD ANTICIPATE CLOSING APRIL 23RD.

AND THAT'S WHEN THE FIRST DRAW OF FUNDS WOULD BE MADE AND AVAILABLE TO THE CITY.

THIS IS NOT LIKE A BOND DEAL THAT WE DO IN THE MARKET WHERE YOU GET ALL 49 MILLION AT ONE TIME.

ACTUALLY, THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT WILL BE PUTTING TOGETHER DRAWS AND REQUISITIONS THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE PROJECT, AND THE FUNDS WILL BE COMING FROM THE BOARD IN THAT MANNER.

THE FOURTH PAGE SHOWS THE ACTUAL DEBT SERVICE DOWN AT THE BOTTOM.

YOU CAN SEE THE EFFECTIVE RATE 2.624%, WHICH IS EXTREMELY FAVORABLE FOR 20 YEAR DEBT, EVEN TAX EXEMPT, AS YOU'LL SEE IN A MINUTE. BUT BASED ON THE 49 MILLION.

THE AVERAGE DEBT SERVICE IS GOING TO BE AROUND 3,110,000 OR SO PER YEAR.

THE FINAL PAGE IN THE PACKAGE SHOWS A COMPARISON.

IN THE MIDDLE IS THAT DEBT SERVICE. I JUST WENT OVER AT 2.62 FOR THE EFFECTIVE MARKET RATE.

HAD WE GONE OUT AND DONE 20 YEAR, DEBT WOULD HAVE BEEN ABOUT 3.68%.

SO AROUND 100 BASIS POINTS OR A 4% DIFFERENCE IN RATES.

AND YOU CAN SEE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE THAT THE SAVINGS ANNUALLY, BECAUSE OF THE SUBSIDIZED RATES AROUND WELL OVER $380,000 PER YEAR. SO AS I SAID, VERY FAVORABLE FINANCING OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY.

AND WITH THAT, I WOULD BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.

QUESTION TO JORGE, JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY, IT'S BECAUSE WE GET THE PREFERENTIAL INTEREST RATE IS.

[01:35:02]

DOES THAT AFFECT THE ABILITY FOR REFINANCING DOWN THE ROAD AT ALL? AS FAR AS REFINANCE? YES, SIR. WELL, THIS ONE WOULD NOT LIKELY BE A CANDIDATE TO BE REFINANCED BECAUSE THERE REALLY WOULDN'T BE SAVINGS OPPORTUNITIES BECAUSE GOING IN, YOU'RE ALREADY AT SUCH A LOW INTEREST RATE AND SO ON.

SO EVEN IF THE MARKET RATE DROPPED, THAT WOULDN'T AFFECT OUR SAVINGS ON THE INTEREST RATE GOING FORWARD.

I GUESS IT'S JUST THE INITIAL THIS IS FIXED RATE, JUST LIKE IF YOU HAD DONE A DEAL IN THE BOND MARKET, IT'S AT 2.62 WOULDN'T CHANGE. BUT MARKET RATES WOULD HAVE TO DECLINE CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT EVEN BELOW THAT TO MAKE IT WORTHWHILE TO CONSIDER. YES. YES, SIR. THANK YOU. BUT IT IS AN OPTION.

IT'S NOT IN THE CONTRACT WHERE WE WOULD BE PREVENTED FROM REFINANCING.

NO, SIR. THIS WILL HAVE A STANDARD TEN YEAR CALL FEATURE LIKE MOST BOND ISSUES, WERE AFTER TEN YEARS AT PAR.

YOU'RE ABLE TO REDEEM OR PREPAY THE DEBT. YES, SIR.

OKAY. AND THEN THE TAKEAWAY ON THE LAST PAGE FOR THOSE LISTENING IS BY DOING IT THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, WE SAVE JUST UNDER $8 MILLION. YES, SIR. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU GEORGE. THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.

IS THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK EITHER FOR OR AGAINST ITEM 21? PLEASE COME FORWARD AND GIVE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD. NO ONE.

I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? IF NOT ALL EXCEPT A MOTION IN A SECOND. SO MOVED.

SECOND. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN ESPINOZA, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN REAGAN.

IS THAT RIGHT? YES. FURTHER DISCUSSION? WE'RE READY TO VOTE.

OH, YES. MOTION CARRIES. MOTION CARRIES. I ALSO FORGOT TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY ACU CLASS IN THE BACK THAT'S HERE OBSERVING.

IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL TODAY. I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT REACHING OUT EARLIER.

IT IS NOW 10:07 A.M. AND WE RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT,

[ EXECUTIVE SESSION]

SECTION 551.071 CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY. SECTION 551.072 DELIBERATIONS ABOUT REAL PROPERTY.

SECTION 551.0073. DELIBERATIONS ABOUT GIFTS AND DONATIONS.

SECTION 551.07 FOR PERSONNEL MATTERS. SECTION 551.076 DELIBERATIONS ABOUT SECURITY DEVICES SECTION 551.07 DELIBERATIONS ABOUT BUSINESS PROSPECTS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

WE'LL BE BACK. MR.. MAYOR, IF I MAY, I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE STACEY, BRIAN'S BEAUTIFUL WIFE IN THE AUDIENCE HERE TODAY. GOOD TO SEE YOU, STACEY, AND A SPECIAL FRIEND I AM.

IN A COLLEGE DAYS. I USED TO WORK WITH STUDENTS AND KATIE, HIS DAUGHTER IS HERE AND SHE WAS IN MY YOUTH GROUP AT THE TIME.

SO GOOD TO SEE YOU, KATIE. YEAH. THANK YOU. IT IS NOW 11:20 A.M.

AND WE RECONVENE TO OPEN SESSION. NO VOTES OR ACTIONS WERE TAKEN DURING THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.

WE'LL NOW MOVE TO ITEM 23, AND I WILL ASK EMILY CRAWFORD CITY MANAGER TO PRESENT THIS ITEM.

[23. Resolution: Receive a Report, Hold a Discussion and Public Hearing, and Take Action on Approving the Meet & Confer Agreement with the Abilene Professional Fire Fighters Association (Emily Crawford)]

MAYOR AND COUNCIL. AT THIS POINT TODAY, WE ARE BRINGING TO YOU THE MEET AND CONFER AGREEMENT WITH THE ABILENE PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION.

AS YOU ARE AWARE, THE 2023 MEET AND CONFER AGREEMENT HAD BEEN EXTENDED PAST THE OCTOBER DEADLINE AND IS SET TO EXPIRE ON APRIL 1ST, 2026. WE DID HAVE NEGOTIATION MEETINGS ON FEBRUARY 23RD, MARCH 5TH, AND MARCH 16TH. WE LOOKED AT SEVERAL DIFFERENT PROPOSALS, INCLUDING EXTENDING THE EXISTING AGREEMENT THROUGH THE FISCAL YEAR TO HAVE MORE AMPLE TIME TO HAVE A FULL NEGOTIATION.

THERE WAS ALSO PEER CITIES THAT WERE CONSIDERED.

HOWEVER, COUNCIL DID NOT TAKE ACTION ON CHANGING PEER CITIES, SO THOSE REMAINED.

THE FIRE NEGOTIATING TEAM WAS REALLY ONLY INTERESTED IN HAVING THE SAME CONTRACT THAT THEY HAD BEFORE.

AND SO THAT WAS THE ONLY AGREEMENT THAT THEY WERE TAKING TO THEIR MEMBERSHIP.

SO THAT IS THE AGREEMENT THAT YOU ARE AT THE DECISION POINT ON TODAY, THOSE TERMS ARE THAT THE BASE SALARIES WILL INCREASE TO THE AVERAGE OF THE CITY'S PEER CITIES, PLUS A 4%, OR IF ALREADY AT THAT POINT, THEN AN ADDITIONAL 2%.

PURE CITIES WAS STRUCK THAT THE DETERMINATION OF THE COUNCIL.

THAT WAS ANOTHER REQUIREMENT OF THE FIRE ASSOCIATION.

AND SO THE COUNCIL DETERMINATION OF PEER CITIES IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE AGREEMENT, AND IT IS FOR A FOUR YEAR TERM.

THE FISCAL IMPACT OF THIS PROPOSAL IS AN ANNUAL IMPACT FOR YEAR ONE OF ABOUT 914,000.

[01:40:05]